Gear train for starters or the like



Jan. 13, 1931. R. CHILTON GEAR TRAIN FOR STARTERS OR THE LIKE Filed June18, 1928 N KN v \\\w a 3 \Q v x E? V \1 m y N v F}. .wmwk U lrllf w M 1w m; T; N x A, a?! \N .4 0 N 5 \N.

5 point of the clutch means which drives it.

Patented Jan. 13, 1931 UNITED sT Tas PATENT. OFFICE ROLAND CHILTON, orKEYroR'r, NEW JERSEY, :ASSIGNOR, .BY' mEsNE A SIGNMENTS, T0 ECLIPSEMACHINE COMPANY, or ELMIRA HEIGHTS, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF N EW YORKGEAR KLRAI'JSI' FOR STARTERS OR THE LIKE V 7 Application filed June 18,

invention is to attain a relatively high gear 6 ratio in a simple andcompact geartrain which will be economical in weight and cost ofmanufacture. The use of pinions having relatively few teeth is of greatassistance in this direction but the small diameter pinions desiredbecome relatively slender when adequate aggregate tooth. width isprovided and. the distortions, which tend towards corner tooth contactand failure,

make some form of compensating device to effect self-alignmentdesirable. This is pro vided in the present invention in an ex tremelysimple manner by laminating certain of the gears to comprise a pluralityof narrow units frictionally driven to permit 0 each to automaticallyassume the proper position so as to take only its proportionate shareof'the driving load. The frictional driving means of these gear discsalso comprise the load limiting clutch means which combination offunction an extremely compact and simple structure is provided.

Bending moments on the relatively slender high speed pinion areeliminated by the 0 on one set of the gears only if the angularrelationships between the teeth are not accurately symmetrical. In fact,it is a common occurrence in gear trains of this character that, duetoproduction errors in the bearing spacing or the layshaft pinion andgear tooth relationships the ears cannot even be assembled. By provi inga clutch for each layshaft, all necessity for accurate angularrelationship between the gear and pinion teeth is avoided, as eachclutch may be tightened after the gears have been meshed, whereupon theywill assume their natural positions and no tooth element can be loadedin service beyond the slipping protects the entire mechanism and bythis1928. Serial No. 286,121.

The objects of simplicity andeconomy of production are further achievedby disposing the layshaft gear, units to comprise the driven clutchplates whereby asubstantial reduction in the number of parts is obtainedand each gear section is protected from overload due to distortion orinaccuracy intheparts which would tend to throw all the loadon oneend ofa rigidly mounted gear, while this construction at the sam( timeprovides a preset load limiting clutch which determines the maximumdriving load developed by or imposed on theentire mechanism.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will be in partobvious from With reference to the drawing 10 designates the housing ofan inertia type engine starter in which a flywheel 11 that is ener- Vgizable to high speed from a source of power is mounted on a pinionshaft 12 in any suitable manner as by means of a splined hub. Later-allydisposed of thepinion shaft are a plurality of lay. shafts 13 providedwith pinions 14 that mesh with an internal gear 15. The lay shafts 13are splined as at 16 said splineshaving conveniently been cutco-extensive with the teeth of the pinions 14, and in driving engagementwith said lay shaft splines there are mounted a series of clutch plates17, 18, 19 which alternate with the gear portions 20 and 21, said gearportions being dri'vably engaged with the pinion shaft 12 and mountedrotationally free upon the lay shafts 13 by means of the bushings 22.

Each of the lay shafts 13 is provided with a collar 23 which is adaptedto prevent axial movement of the clutch plates and gear portions in thatdirection whilst frictional driving engagement between the clutch platesand gear portions is engendered by the disk springs 24 the tension ofwhich can relatively slender pinion 12, an it is manifest that'cornertooth contact will be obviated in a gear of substantial width if saidgear is formed of'a plurality. of relatively narrow units as hereindisclosed.

As referred to in the beginning, this assemblage of clutch (plates andgear portions also provides a loa limiting c utch for the mechanismsince the clutch plates 17, 118 and '19 are frictionally driven from thegear portions b means of the friction producin pressure erived from thesprings 24 whic can be varied to suit the requirements. This arrangementpermits of unlimited sli page between the parts which is desirable us tothe enormous amount of energy stored in the high speed flywheel 11.Since the load limiting clutch may be adjusted to transmit aredetermined amount of torque only and 'thisregardless of the resistanceto rotation offered by'the. member to be driven by the flywheel, theparts of the starter may be which features are'highly desirable instart-.

. ers for internal combustion engines.

i The internal gear is drivably connected by the splines 27 to a jawclutch 28 which I a" can be axially shifted by any suitable means "into,engagement with a means to be driven sucli as an engine shaft designatedby 29.

There is thus provided. a combination of elements which is ver short 'inlength, of

- small diameter, of lig t weight, and which is very symmetrical. Thesefeatures are of importance in starters for internal combuss tionengines, as is pointed out in my patent referredto above. I

Variations-may be resorted towithin the scope of the invention andportions of the improvements may be used without the oth- .class descriers, whilst not departing from the spirit of the invention.-

Having thus described: my invention, I claim': a

,1. e starting,- apparatus'v of the the com ination of a power memberpinion, a main driven gear coaxial therewith,-a pluralit of layshaftseach comprising a pinion mes ed with said gear, and a laminated gearmeshed 'with the power fpinion, said laminations comprising thedrivreset clutch drivably enen elements. of a v gaginlg the layshapinions,

2. n a starter, the combination of a p0w'-.

' er pinion, a high speed flywheel drivably connected tosaid pinio'm anengine engagcomprising a gear an 'spectively with the high speed inionand gears, and means for predeterminin .torque to .be transmitted bysaid frlction ing means, a driven gear torsionally rigid with saidmeans, a plurality of layshafts each com rising a gainion meshed withsaid gear, a p urality 0 gear disksmeshed with said power pinion, aplurality of friction disks engaged with said gear disks and securedforrotation with said layshaft pinion, and means 'for adjusting thefrictional engagement of said disks tg secure a predetermined transferof torque thereby.

3. In a starter, the'combination of a high speed power pinion, aflywheel secured thereto, a plurality of layshafts each having rotatablymounted thereon a pluralit of gear disks having teeth meshed with thepower pinion, an internal driven gear, a longitudinally movable engineengaging membendrivably connected to said ear, a pinion for eachlayshaft in mesh with said ear, driving clutch plates drivably securedupon the" power pinion drivably connected to the flymade lightandextremely compact, both of 7 ing member and in meshing engagement withsaid clutch pinion.

5. A starter comprising in combination a high speed driving pinion, aflywheel drivably connected thereto, a low speed internal gear coaxialwith. the pinion, engine engaging means drivably connected to said lowspeed gear, av pluralit of layshafts each pinion meshed rethe low speedgear, each of sai layshafts including a friction clutch having drivingand driven sets of clutch plates, said-drivin set of clutch platescomprising the layshai1 t t e clutch.

6. In an inertiastarter of the class described, in combination, alaminated gear and clutch unit-comprising, a shaft, a first set ofclutch platesfimounted' forrotation with theshaft, a second set ofclutch plates in alternated frictional contact between the iirst setofplates, meansfor rotatabl mount- "rng said second set of plates on saidshaft, .gear' teeth on said second set of plates, a

spring means frictionally loadin allthe plates,- the whole adapted forslippage of ing engaged for unitary rotationwith theclutch pinion, andan internal gear operatively connected to said engine engagall or anyone of the gear plates for the avoidance of excessive tooth loads and totransmit a predetermined load.

7. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a high speedpinion, a flywheel secured thereto, a low speed internal gear coaxialwith the pinion, an engine engaging member adapted to be driven by saidinternal gear, a luralityof la shafts each comprismg a pinion meshedw1th the low speed gear and a plurality of gear elements each meshedwith the high speed pinion and friction clutch means between saidelements adapted for the slippage thereof independently or in unison andalso adapted to transmit a predetermined load.

8. In engine starting mechanism, the combination of a high speedpinionand a low speed internal gear in co-axial alignment, back gearscomprising a drivin conplurality of gear disks, friction means, andresilient means, for yieldin ly driving each disk, said resilient meanseing adjustable to provide for the transfer of a redetermined amount oftorque by said isks and friction means.

9. In engine starting mechanism, a gear comprising a pluralit of lamina,a plualternating with.

rality of friction dis said lamina, a drive shaft disposed axially ofsaid disks and drivably engaging the same, the gear lamina being mountedfor free rotation about said shaft, an internal gear adapted to bedriven from said shaft and pressure means ada ted to produce apredetermined frictiona drivin engagement between said lamina and dis s.

internal gear, a pinion shaft drivably con- 10. In engine startingmechanism, a gear comprising a plurality of lamina, a plus rality offriction disks alternating with said lamina, a drive shaft disposedaxially of said disks and drivably engagin "the same, the gear laminabeing mounted. or free rotation on said shaft, an internal gear driv--ably connected to said shaft, and adjustable pressure means adapted toproduce a predetermined frictional driving engagement between saidlamina and friction disks for unitary rotation and to permit relativerota-- tion therebetween when the driving load exceeds tha for which thepressure means has been set.

11. In an inertia starter for internal combustion e es, a hi h speedflywheel, a

longitudina ly movab e engine en aging, member adapted to be driven bysa id fly-' wheel and means for drivably connecting said flywheel andengine engaging member includmgan internal gear connected to the engineengaging member, a ri'cally'dispose pinions'mes ing with sald nectedwith the flywheel and disposed coaxially of the engine engaging member,and

pinion and gear air of diametmeans including a pair of clutches ada tedto transmit a predetermined torque for rivably connecting said pinionsand pinion shaft.'

1 2. In an engine starter of the inertia type, means for storing energyat a high velocity, means to be driven by the first named meanscoaxial-therewith, and a driving means between the first and secondnamed means comprising a plurality of layshafts in driven connection atone end with the first named means and in driving connection at theother end with the second named means. r v

13. In an engine starter of the inertia type, a, drive shaft, a flywheelmounted on the shaft at one end, a pinion mounted on the shaft at theother end, a driven gear concentric with the axis of theshaft, and

means for transmitting the motion of the nection therebetween and eachinclu mg a flywheel to the gear including layshafts having gears andpinions in driving connection respectively with the drive shaft pinionand the driven gear, the layshafts in located in a plane with the axisof the rive shaft and driven ear, but on opposite sides thereof'to e uaize the bending moment of the flywheels aft or driven gear dueto'torque. e a,

14. In an engine starter of the inertia type, a drive shaft, a flywheelmounted on the shaft at one end, a pinion mounted on the shaft at theother end, a driven gear concentric with the axis of the'shaft, engineengagin means actuated by the gear, and means or transmitting the motionof the flywheel to the gear including layshafts having gears and pinionsin drivingconnection respectively with the drive shaft pinion and, thedriven gear, the layshafts being 10- catedin a plane with the axis ofthe drive shaft anddriven gear, but on opposite sides thereof toequalizethe bending. moment of the flywheel shaft ,or driven gear due totorque.

15. In an engine starter of the inertia type, means for storing energyat a high vesecond name means comprising a plurality of layshafts havingat one endin alternate relation, friction disks rotationallyrigidtherewith, and laminated gear'sections rotationally free therewithbut in driving relation with the first named means, the lay- I shafts'attheir other end having splinedpinions in driving relation with thesecond named means.

16; In an engine starter of. the inertia type, means for storing energyat a high velocity, means to be driven by the first named meanscoaxialtherewith, and a friction clutch driving means betweenthe first andsecond named means comprising a plurality of layshafts having at one endin alternate relation friction discs rotationally rigid therewith, andlaminated gear sections rotationally free therewith but in drivingrelation with the first named means, the layshafts at their other-endhaving splined pinions in driving relation with the second named means,said layshafts being located in a plane with the axis of the first andsecond named means but on opposite sides engine engaging memberincluding ,two similar gear trains having speed equalization meanstherein.

Signed at Keyport, inthe county of Monmouth, and State of New Jersey,this 14th day of June, 1928.

ROLAND CHILTON.

thereof to equalize the bending moment of i i the first and second namedmeans due to tor ue.

1 In an engine starter of the inertia type,

, a flywheel, a gear coaxial'therewith, and a friction clutch drivingmeans for transmitting the energy of the flywheel to the gear Icomprising a plurality of layshafts having at one end in alternaterelation friction disks rotationally rigid therewith and 1aminated gearsections rotationally free therewith but in driving relation with theflywheel, the layshafts at their other ends having s'plined pinions indriving relation with the gear, and adjustable spring means for fixinthe frictional engagement between the riction disks and the laminatedgear sections.

18., In an engine starter of the inertia type, a drive shaft, a flywheelmounted on the shaft at one end, a pinion on the shaft at the other end,a driven internalgear coaxial with the drive shaft, an engine engagingmeans actuated by the driven gear, and a friction clutch driving meansfor transmitting the energ of the flywheel to the driven gear inclu inga plurality of layshafts having at one end in alternate relationfriction disks rotationally rigid therewith and laminated gear sectionsrotationally free therewith but in driving relation with the flywheel,the layshafts at their other ends having splined pinions in drivingrelation with-the driven internal gear, the layshafts being located onopposite sides of'the drive shaft to equalize the bending moment of theflywheel shaft A or driven gear 'due to torque, and adjustable springmeans on the layshafts for fixing the frictional engagement between thefriction disks and the laminated gear sections.

19. 'In an inertia starter for internal comfor drivably connecting theflywheel and er adapted to be driv

